Been low carb for 9 months, feel like crap - carb refeed?

[Kleptronic]

Just that really. I had 1 week off at Easter and a couple of cheat meals in July.

I'm under 30g a day always, often under 20g, so pretty much strict Bootcamp with a couple of protein rolls a week for a treat. 1400 cals or lower. 90g protein 110g fats.

All of a sudden for the past 2 weeks I have been on the floor with tiredness, brain fog, lethargy and feeling anxious. It's not a lack of iron, I gave blood last month. I'm not coming down with anything. Everything else is as usual, go to fitness class 3 times a week, work the same, yadda yadda. Except it's not the same because I can't concentrate at all.

Googling suggests a carb refeed to boost leptin, and I have stalled pretty much, this last 2 months I've lost 2.2lb. 11st and another stone to go at 5ft 9, current BMI 22.9. But a refeed's not suggested if you've more than 10lb to go (from Mark's Daily Apple site). Am not peri or menopausal.

Does anyone have any experience of this, or any advice to offer, please? I feel so rotten.

[Kleptronic]

Oh and I'm bloody freezing all the time. Thyroid's ok too.

[OliviaD68]

same thing happened to me ...

90 g protein is high. cut that in half to about 50 g. Your body converts excess protein to glucose which knocks you out of ketosis.

1. what is your exercise routine like? describe a class.
   
   
2. how much sodium are you eating? you need about 5 g per day
   
   
3. how much potassium are you eating? you also need about 5g.

[OliviaD68]

@kleptronic: in addition, check this out. Vitamin B5 ...

[PianoThirty]

Lack of energy can mean you're not getting enough B-vitamins. The richest sources of B-vitamins are fish, poultry, meat, eggs, and dairy products. (Vegans have to take supplements.) Have you changed your diet recently, or even just changed regular supermarket?

Other than that, you say you're not coming down with anything, but tbh it sounds like you may well be.

[Kleptronic]

Thanks guys. Classes are HIIT Pilates twice a week (lots of minute/two minute reps of movements) and either normal yoga or normal pilates, occasional Les Mills Body Jam/Core Works to mix it up.

I am a walking kale/broccoli/spinach bucket, eat eggs and either red meat/chicken or fish every day and put salt on my food. Will drop the protein. It's usually around 70g, 90 came out on the macro generator (ankerl) but I don't often get there.

Not sure where I'm getting potassium from. Or the B vitamins. Off to google.

[OliviaD68]

HIIT ... that may be part of it. but you should not feel tired after HIIT so I don't think it's the full picture. Sodium or potassium can be it.

Sodium: drink beef bouillon. Potassium eat a few avocados. Cal/Mag: supplement. Vit B5: supplement.

HIIT is anaerobic -- without oxygen. This means you cannot use fat for fuel here, unlike for aerobic exercise, because fat burning requires oxygen.

Your muscles instead burn glycogen in anaerobic work. Glycogen needs to be replenished and a low carb diet can do this too but it takes a lot of time espoecially if you do HIIT often. This has just happened to me and I think I've sorted with targeted carb intake post workout only.

So here are some options:

• reduce HIIT frequency to twice a week and add in low intensity fasted aerobic exercise to burn fat. 3 session of HIIT seems a lot. Do you do weights and aerobic too? Any mobility work like yoga? I'm getting off track.
  

• eat a protein shake with dextrose post HIIT workout within a 2 hour window with a banana to see how it goes
  

• do an initial refeed to restore glycogen levels. You'll need about 400g of carbs for that

[Kleptronic]

Thanks very much OliviaD68 that's a great plan right there. Swigging veg bouillon and it's Body Balance tonight (Les Mills version of yoga) might try some sweet potato afterwards. Feels wrong to do it after swerving carbs for so long! I can't keep on like this though.

[OliviaD68]

I know the feeling. It feels wrong. I can say my performance has jumped back up. I can’t yet say I’ve dialled it right to where I’m not gaining weight. More experimentation required.

Sweet potato. Try it but it’s a complex carb. From what I’ve read your muscle cells are more insulin sensitive in a 2 hour window which points to a more simple carb.

But give it a go and see. You can always try dextrose another time.